On Friday, June 21^st, 2019, the 89^th commencement ceremony of the Armenian Theological Seminary was held at St. Maty Monastery, in Bikfaya, presided over by His Holiness Aram I. This year’s ceremony was dedicated to the 150^th anniversary of the Armenian renowned composer Gomidas.  

After the pontifical entrance and the Alma Mater, Rev. Fr. Oshin Chvalertanian delivered the welcoming remarks. He stated that the secret to the Seminary’s success is the people, who believe in the mission of the Seminary and are dedicated to it.

Next, one of the newly ordained priests Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aprahamian delivered the students’ speech. He said that the Seminary is not only a school for the mind but also for the soul. It  has served as a spiritual house, where they learned serving God and the faithful selflessly. He concluded by expressed his and his brothers’ gratitude to His Holiness Aram I and the faculty.

The Dean of the faculty V. Rev. Fr. Boghos Tinkjian presented the annual report, where he talked about the academic, extracurricular and social lives of the Seminary. Following this, he awarded the three students that had accumulated the highest average of the school year.

Rev. Fr. Boghos then invited His Holiness Aram I to the stage to distribute the diplomas and deliver his pontifical speech.

In his speech, His Holiness focused on the value of a diploma when put in action and service of God and community. He stated that the real challenge is to be invested in continuous learning and developing process which starts the moment one graduates school. The emphasized the importance of applying the acquired knowledge and skills in real life situations and advised the graduates to not be afraid. Finally, the Catholicos commended the graduates, the faculty and all those who contributed to the Seminary.

The ceremony also included cultural program performed by the students, as well as by the “Armash” choir, conducted by Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian and accomapanied by Hasmig Kasbarian on the piano.